Thursday, 19 April 2012

Water Charges are a Bridge too far for Wicklow Residents

Sinn Féin county councillor John Brady has slammed Fine Gael and theLabour party for pushing ahead with water meters saying its a bridgetoo far for Wicklow residents who simply wont be able to afford to payfor the basic human right.

Speaking after the creation of the new utility company Irish Waterwhich is tasked by the Government to roll out the water metering SinnFéin councillor John Brady said "It is clear that Fine Gael issetting the agenda on water services while the Labour Party iswillingly falling into line.Water charges are an unacceptableadditional stealth charge on households. The establishment of IrishWater is the first step in privatising our water. Wicklow countycouncil recently passed a Sinn Féin motion opposing this new utilitycompany and the installation and charging of water. This was passedonto the government, however this along with all the public oppositionto these stealth charges are falling on deaf ears. Fine Gael andLabour are ideologically committed to privatisation and we believethat the creation of Irish Water, is laying the foundation for this"

Cllr Brady continued “Sinn Féin and other parties have madesubmissions to what was to be a public consultation on the reform ofthe water sector in Ireland. That process has not even concluded, butthe government has clearly made decisions on the issue, ignoring thedemocratic process. In the North, Sinn Féin has prevented theintroduction of water charges and the privatisation of the waterservices and will continue to do so. Here we have proposed thatinvestment in water services should focus on repair of theinfrastructure to stop the massive waste of water leaking from pipes,instead of imposing more pressure on people already struggling in thiseconomic crisis.”

The Sinn Fein councillor went onto say “ Following the introduction ofthe Household charge, septic tank charges and increased taxes forcingpeople to pay for water is literately a bridge too far for people whoare struggling to survive, access to clean water is a basic humanright and the threats that people will have their water cut if theycant pay is scandalous but not surprising from this government. Thisapproach has been wholly unacceptable and any attempt to forcehouseholds to pay for water will be opposed every inch of the way bySinn Féin"

The government clearly has not learned its lesson from the septic tankand household charge debacle. Communities are angry. The news thathouseholds will now be paying over €700 for water meters will onlycompound that anger. Struggling families simply cannot afford thischarge. Sinn Féin made a detailed and solution-based submission to theconsultation process and we will continue to use every opportunity tooppose the government's plans to impose water rates on citizens.”concluded Cllr Brady.